Heretofore in the handling of truck frames, particularly industrial truck frames, during the manufacturing process a method has been employed utilizing chain falls by means of which the workman threads a chain through the truck frame and hooks up the threaded chain to a chain fall, lifts the frame by means of the chain fall, then partially rotates the frame, mounts selected components thereon, sets down the frame, unhooks and rehooks it, and lifts again the frame and rotates it until it is turned over. During the process the frame is often pulled over and dropped on the floor to speed up the operation.
Article handling means have been used heretofore in a different context, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,678,025, in which a motor vehicle body carrier engages the body from the ends thereof during passage along a conveyor production line for automatically rotating the body about a longitudinal axes as the body passes certain sections of the assembly line for facilitating painting thereof, the body being automatically restrained from rotation along certain other portions of the assembly line. U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,444 discloses a tong-like device for engaging and rotating mill rolls operable from a crane and cable for elevating the mill roll which is engaged by pressure pads mounted in the tong operable to rotate the mill roll from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice versa. U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,311 discloses a specialized apparatus for handling large fragile objects by means of a donut shaped expansible collar located in a frame which surrounds the object, the annular frame having diametrically opposed support pads engageable to hold and rotate the annular frame to a desired position in a crane or block and tackle supported inverted U-shaped support frame.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved frame handling device for truck frames, and the like.